Colt DCS names Quy Nguyen permanent CEO after acting stint

Quy Nguyen's interim title is gone. Colt DCS named him chief executive effective immediately, Data Center Dynamics reported, closing a succession that began in April when Niclas Sanfridsson retired after seven years atop the operator.

Nguyen had been acting CEO since Sanfridsson's retirement. He joined Colt DCS in 2016, after spending two years at parent Colt Technology Services, which had acquired KVH. He most recently ran sales as chief sales officer. Earlier in his career, he worked at Fidelity Investments, MetroRED, and Bose. Fidelity has owned the Colt business since August 2015; the company began in 1992 as City of London Telecom.

The board called the appointment the end of a succession process. Chairman Tim Cohen pointed to Nguyen's leadership through a period of growth and transformation. Nguyen said he plans to expand the platform and support customers' evolving digital infrastructure needs.

With the permanent title in place, the work turns to the pipeline. Colt DCS counts 15 operating data centers and 12 more under development across the UK, Europe, and APAC, in nine cities. The under-development capacity comes to nearly 800MW. Each megawatt needs a customer contract, a construction schedule, and capital behind it.

For investors bankrolling the buildout, a permanent CEO removes one variable from the construction math. The move also extends a pattern: Sanfridsson took over in 2019 after Detlef Spang retired, and now Nguyen has done the same. Fidelity has owned Colt through both transitions.